


Reaching Across The Stars

by Lady_Katana4544



Series: Femslashfics (2018) [25]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Developing Relationship, F/F, Femslash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-16
Updated: 2018-11-16
Packaged: 2019-08-02 15:57:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16308224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Katana4544/pseuds/Lady_Katana4544
Summary: Hope you enjoy. :)





	Reaching Across The Stars

**Author's Note:**

  * For [IllusiveSoul](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IllusiveSoul/gifts).



> Hope you enjoy. :)

Tali hadn't known what to make of the humans even after they promised to protect her from Saren and his men, but she did know that she didn't like it when one of Shepard's crewman softly called Dr. T'Soni another "stray" that the Commander had rescued.

It made her feel the protective need to take the Asari scientist to her side and keep the rude human away from her.

A confusing thing because she barely knew Dr. T'Soni and yet she wanted to get to know her; especially since Tali didn't have many friends outside of those she had known in the Migrant Fleet, though Officer Vakarian was fast becoming one and she wanted to Dr. T'Soni among her small number of friends.

Shepard's "strays" had to stick together after all didn't they?

*

When the quiet door chime sounded, Liara looked up from the computer screen and blinked twice. She hadn't expected that anyone would find her after the Commander had come to see her, Liara wondered who would be visiting her now.

Perhaps the ship's doctor needed something from the storeroom that Liara had taken over?

"Come in," Liara called softly.

She barely manages to mask her surprise in time, when Liara's met with the sight of the Quarian crewmember, Tali'Zorah if Liara remembered her name correctly, and not the human doctor. Or the Commander. 

Interesting.

"Hi. I'm Tali, but you probably know that already," Tali said her tone soft and shy, watching her through the mask she wore.

"Nice to meet you, Tali, I'm Dr. Liara T'Soni. You can call me, Liara though," Liara said with a small smile.

Tali inclines her head slightly with a soft chuckle that might have also been a giggle as Liara watches. Again she finds herself wondering what Tali might want from her.

"It is nice to meet you, Liara. I wonder if you might indulge myself and let me keep you company?" Tali asked softly.

For a moment, Liara is taken aback by the request and stares at the young Qurian in front of her. Aside from her mother and the worker droids, no one has willing kept her company.

But at the same time, she doesn't mind the request and does want company as she tries to figure out why Benezia has allowed mercenaries to come after her.

"I would not mind the company, Tali," Liara finally answered calmly. "Save for my mother and the worker droids I took on the digs; no one has ever willingly sought out my company before."

"Then those people are foolish to not wish for your company," Tali stated immediately and ducked her head. "I mean not to speak badly of those I don't know. But who wouldn't want your company?"

Liara chuckled softly, glancing at the terminal screen beside her. The latest notes of her last dig still needed to be filed, but she found that desired the company of others more.

"I could name any number of people who wouldn't want to be in my company. But I would like some company, Tali'Zorah if your invitation is still open."

Tali's stance relaxed visibly.

"I was hoping that you would say that. I hope that we can be friends in time," Tali said quietly. "If you don't mind that is."

"Friends. Hmm, I think I would like that, Tali. I haven't had many of those growing up," Liara answered with a small smile.

She watches as Tali's eyes seem to brighten behind her protective mask and found herself wondering what color Tali's eyes.

"I haven't either as a child. Being the daughter to one of the Fleet Admirals limits one's choices of friends," Tali says calmly with a soft chuckle.

*

Tali raced through the levels of the Normandy, trying to find Liara before something else happened. Her heart tightened in her chest as she wondered what her friend might be feeling now.

She'd been forced to fight against her mother. Tali couldn't imagine that it had been easy to do; not that she could picture herself fighting her mother for any reason.

Tali rounds a corner to find Kaidan, Garrus, and Ashley standing in a group near the doors to the medical bay. She slows her pace as they look up at her as she looks over at them; both of the human's eyes are bright red and wet while Garrus looked mournful.

"Is she in there?" Tali asked, pointing towards the closed door of the ship's medical bay.

"Yes. Though Shepard is with Liara right now," Kaidan answered hoarsely with a nod. "She might appreciate a friendly visit though once Shepard leaves though."

The door chooses that moment to open, Shepard steps out of the room and stops when she notices them all standing there. Tali watches her assess each of them before she bravely takes a step forward to draw Shepard's attention to her.

"Commander, is Liara open to receiving company?" Tali asks calmly, meeting those calm, hunter eyes behind her safety mask.

For a few moments, Shepard silently stares at her before slowly nodding.

"Yes, she could use some company right now, Tali," Shepard answered. "What happened, is not easy for any of us. I have to make a report to the Council. Go see her."

"Right."

Tali nodded and edged slowly around Shepard's space as the woman sighed, into the room behind her. Tali tried to ignore the closed caskets on the berths, the stench of burn wounds and decayed flesh as she headed for the backroom and found Liara sitting at her desk, her face buried in her hands.

Liara didn't bother to look up at her as Tali gathered her into her arms and let her sob into her chest.

*

Quietly, Tali slipped away from the loud, noisy celebration that had been together by the Alliance and the Council for the defeat of Saren's plans; she breathed a sigh of relief when she found a quiet spot where she could look at the sky. 

"Tali?"

Startled, Tali jumped slightly and turned to see that Liara had followed her away from the party. She looked at her friend, noting that Liara looked a bit tired and swayed slightly on her feet as she watched Tali in turn.

"Oh, Liara! I wasn't expecting that anyone would notice I had slipped out. Please! Come over here and sit with me, let us enjoy the quiet before the others manage to find us."

Liara chuckled softly and let Tali drag her over to the bench that she had found, sitting down quietly beside her. After a moment or two, she leaned into her friend's side and smiled as Tali took her hand into hers.

After a moment, Tali shifted restlessly, Liara pulled away to watch and see what she was doing.

"Here I want you to have something."

Liara watched in amazement as Tali gently plucked something out of a hidden pocket on her body before smoothly putting the object into Liara's hand, closing her fingers around it.

Curious, Liara opened her hand and stared; Tali had given her a beautiful bracelet. Glittering, multicolored stones decorated the face of the light purple-blue dyed fabric.

She was shocked and surprised, Liara couldn't remember the last time that anyone had given her such a beautiful token. She looks up to meet Tali's bright eyes behind the protective lens of her mask.

"Thank you, Tali. Did you make this?"

"Yes, made by my own hands. The rocks come from various planets that we've been too with Shepard," Tali answered with a slight nod. She gently touched Liara's wrist. "Do you like it?"

Liara smiles and gently bumps her forehead against Tali's mask, wishing that she could kiss her friend.

"Yes, I love it. I'll treasure it always, Tali."

*

"Its good to see you again, Liara. I hope that we can talk again once this mission is over."

"I'd like that. Oh and Shepard?"

Startled, Shepard looked up from the report that she had mentally been preparing for the Illusive Man to meet Liara's calm expression.

"Yes?"

She watched as Liara sighed before she looked away and rubbed lightly at her wrist. At the bracelet sitting gently around her wrist that Shepard thought she faintly recognized from somewhere. Shepard couldn't quite recall the last time that she had seen Liara look nearly uncomfortable about anything.

"Please be sure to bring them all back alive from this. Most specifically Tali. She's important to me. I'd... appreciate it if you managed that."

"I promise to do my best, Liara."

Even as she squeezes her friend's shoulder there's a part of Shepard knows that she shouldn't make that sort of promise to anyone, including Liara. She hadn't even made one to Garrus and Zaeed, because they hadn't asked it of her.

Liara smiles then and squeezes Shepard's hand gently.

"Thank you, Shepard. I know you will do your best."

Shepard chuckled.

"Yes, well you know I live. And if your temper is anything like your parents, I wouldn't want you to come after me or send Asari Commandos if I failed to keep it."

Grinning, Liara laughs before she bids Shepard goodbye and leaves her quarters. Making her way through the ship, Liara finds Tali in the engine talking to one of the human engineers.

Liara waits quietly for Tali to spot her and finish their conversation. After a moment or two, the discussion ceases as Tali moved to stand with her. Liara took Tali into her arms; quietly they held each other as the crew worked around them.

*

Liara coughed as her eyes watered from the smoke of sparking panels and consoles. Her head throbbed from the hit she had taken into a bulkhead when the blast from the Crucible had knocked the Normandy out of space. She had no idea if that meant Shepard had been successful as she opened her eyes and winced as the light hit them.

Light?

Blinking rapidly she looked up to see a tree branch poking through the hull of the ship, well, that would make things a bit harder when they started ship repairs.

Someone groaned and coughed softly beside her, Liara looked over to see Tali push herself up with a hiss. Liara felt alarmed as she took in the cracked protective mask that Tali and her people often wore, watching as Tali gently prodded at the broken covering, making a startled noise when the glass began to fall away.

"Liara?"

"I'm here, Tali. Are you alright?" Liara asked, watching as the filtered air in the mask flowed out into the open air between them. 

She moved towards Tali and then stopped as glowing emerald eyes emerged from behind the filtered air, staring at her in surprise as they blinked.

"Liara, why is your skin glowing?" Tali asked tentatively, her hands reaching towards Liara.

"I don't know. But you're glowing too, Tali." Liara answered softly, gently grasping Tali's hands. She reached up slowly to touch a tanned-glowing cheek; Tali gasped softly, she put her hand on top of Liara's.

"What did Shepard do?"

"I don't know. I'm not sure I want to know just yet, beyond spending this moment with you, Tali." Liara answered calmly.

Mindful of the broken and sharp edges of the covering, Liara gently her forehead to the exposed portion of Tali's forehead. 

They sat together in silence, taking the moment of discovery in silence and wondered what it means for the future.


End file.
